


A Personal Best

by 0LaunaAlvara0



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Martin is rubbish at dates, Romance, Romantic Comedy, date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 21:44:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/614680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0LaunaAlvara0/pseuds/0LaunaAlvara0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin on a date. </p>
<p>Simple as that!</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Personal Best

**Author's Note:**

> Originally done for a prompt. What would happen if someone finally said yes to a date with our dashing Captain.

It wasn’t going well. Not that Martin was really surprised, it never did. 

He lived in hope that one day he might actually get through a whole date without either making an idiot of himself, saying the wrong thing or knocking something over.

This afternoon he spectacularly managed all three; a personal best.

“I am so.... _so_ sorry.” Martin frantically dabbed at Amelia’s dress with a napkin. “I......I’ll pay for the dry cleaning.”

“It’s just tea.”

“But even so....I...I...I insist.” Martin persisted in trying to mop up the mug of tea he’d just managed to dump down the front of the first woman to agree to a date with him in forever.

“Martin, it’s fine. Really. You can stop now.”

Martin suddenly realised that in his desperation to clean up the mess he’d made, he was patting at a rather inappropriate place on Amelia’s anatomy. He took his hand away immediately.

“Oh God. I’m sorry.... I didn’t mean to....I wasn’t trying to........not that I wouldn’t want to, I mean they’re very nice.....no God, that’s much worse. I just meant....” Martin paused defeated and beginning to feel his cheeks burn. “Did you want to go now?” He asked resignedly.

Amelia looked down at her tea-stained dress. “I think I might _have_ to.”

“Of course.” Martin tried to hide his disappointment. “I’ll....I’ll walk you out?” He offered, praying silently he could at least manage that without tripping over, or worse.

“Sure.” Amelia told him with a smile, though he was fairly certain it didn’t meet her eyes.

Amelia stood up, put her coat on, wrapping it tightly around her to cover her dress, and started to make her way towards the exit. Martin fell in step behind her, feeling miserable but trying his best to put on a brave face. He could feel everyone in the coffee shop  staring at him as he walked out. Of course they would have noticed him dump a half a mug of tea over his date.

At least it wasn’t a whole mug.

He couldn’t quite fathom why she’d agreed to have ‘coffee’ with him in the first place. In fact, he’d been so surprised he’d actually had to ask her to repeat her reply three times, just to be sure he wasn’t hearing things.

Of course it had been a disaster.

Not only had he been late because the van wouldn’t start, but he’d also he managed to insult her, twice, realised that his jumper had a hole in it and nearly choked on a biscuit. All before dumping the tea over her and then making it worse with some inappropriate touching.

All in all, not the best date he’d ever had; and there were some pretty bad ones to choose from. He knew he wouldn’t be getting a second date; that much was a given.

Once they were outside Amelia turned to face him, both of them standing awkwardly.

“Well....thanks. That was......” She paused, obviously trying to find an apt word.

 “Awful.” He finished for her, admitting the truth.

She looked at him with something akin to sympathy. “No...no...I wouldn’t say _awful_.”

Martin sighed. “I turned up late, I managed to insult you _and_  your job, I nearly choked, I threw tea all over you and then accidently....you know....whilst trying to clean it up...and.....well....I wasn’t going to mention this but I also managed to put salt in my tea instead of sugar, which I drank anyway just so you wouldn't think I was an idiot.” He paused, taking a breath. “Oh, and I realise I've got a huge hole in my jumper.” He poked his finger through the hole in his sleeve to prove the point.

Amelia stared at him for a moment, before a smile began to play on her lips. A second later, she started laughing, putting a hand to her mouth to try and stifle her chuckles. Martin couldn’t stop himself joining in. Now he heard it all out loud, it really did sound rather funny.

After a moment their laughter subsided slightly and they found themselves standing outside the cafe in a considerably less awkward silence.

“It's certainly been memorable.” Amelia giggled at him.

“For all the wrong reasons.” Martin confirmed for her. “I’m sorry, I really am. I’m just _really_ bad at first dates.” He admitted, feeling much more relaxed than he had all afternoon, nerves gone because he knew this wasn’t going anywhere and it didn’t matter very much anymore.

Amelia nodded thoughtfully. “I see.” She paused. “So how are you at second ones? Better or worse?"

"Well....I...er...." Martin tried to think fast. He could count the amount of second dates he'd had one one hand.....using three fingers, truth be told. "...I'm....not....sure." He answered uncertainly.

"How about we find out then? You know....for posterity?"

Martin’s head snapped up at her words. He must have misheard.

“I-I-I’m sorry?”

“I’m assuming you want to meet up again?” Amelia didn’t seem to have noticed his surprise, or at least was glossing over it.

“Y-y-yes.” Martin stumbled, replying far too keenly. “But....but...after today? _Really?_ ”

She smiled at him and he noted how genuine it looked this time. “Sure. I’ll just remember to allow you extra time to arrive, assume that any insults are, in fact, compliments in disguise, practice my Heimlich manoeuvre, label the sugar clearly and wear a raincoat.....or just steer clear of hot drinks altogether.” She paused. "Oh, and bring my sewing kit. Or perhaps we coud just go jumper shopping? That should be safe enough."

Martin couldn’t help but smile back, a bit amazed. “And the...uh.....inappropriate touching?” He joked bravely.

“We’ll see, Martin. _We’ll see_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tidied up and edited from my original post on the meme.


End file.
